Advanced Filters

Contact

We want to hear from you: Did we delight you with great service or a timely insight? Did we miss the mark? Are you looking for legal advice? If so, we want to know. Just type a few lines into our form, send an email to client.service@mcinnescooper.com, or call 1-855-622-6668.

Un moment s'il vous plaît...

Publication

2015 Atlantic Canada Minimum Wage Roundup

April 22, 2015

After a very long winter, the snow is almost gone: time for our annual look at Atlantic Canadian general minimum wage rates. The minimum wage rate is the lowest rate an employer is permitted to pay an employee. The minimum wage rate in every Atlantic Canadian province is higher than it was a year ago – and there are more increases to come.

Nova Scotia. NS has the highest minimum wage rate in Atlantic Canada and the 5th highest in Canada (behind Nunavut, Yukon, Manitoba and Ontario). It’s the only Atlantic Province with a two-tiered minimum wage system based on experienced and inexperienced workers: “experienced” workers are those with experience in a particular area of work and/or who have been employed by the same employer for more than three calendar months. NS adjusts minimum wage rates annually based on the previous year’s national CPI. Effective April 1, 2015, NS minimum wage rates increased by $.20/hour to $10.60/hour for experienced employees and $10.10/hour for inexperienced employees.

Prince Edward Island. After two 2014 increases, PEI’s minimum wage is scheduled to continue its climb, increasing from $10.35/hour to $10.50/hour effective July 1, 2015.

Newfoundland & Labrador. The current NL minimum wage rate of $10.25/hour, in effective since October 1, 2014, is scheduled to increase to $10.50/hour effective October 1, 2015.

New Brunswick. Effective December 31, 2014, NB increased its minimum wage rate for the first time since April 1, 2012, increasing it from $10/hour to $10.30/hour.

Weekly Hour Ceilings. Most provinces establish a ceiling on the number of weekly hours for which employers are permitted to pay employees the minimum wage rate, after which “overtime” may apply. This ceiling varies between provinces. Employers failing to comply with the applicable minimum wage rate legislation may face an employee complaint to the governing employment standards body.

McInnes Cooper has prepared this document for information only; it is not intended to be legal advice. You should consult McInnes Cooper about your unique circumstances before acting on this information. McInnes Cooper excludes all liability for anything contained in this document and any use you make of it.